Ralph walsh



(No Model.)

R. WALSH. DEVICE FOR DIVIDING POWDERS, &c.

No. 531,237. Patented Dec. 18, 1894.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH wALsH, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

. DEVICE FOR DIVIDING POWDERS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 531,237, dated December 18,1 894.

Applicationfiled February 8, 1894. Serial No. 499,499- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH lVALSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Pharmaceutical-Matter Dividers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i a

This invention relates to apparatus for dividing solid substances such as powders, pillmass, &c., into desirable portions.

The object is to produce a'device by which 7 a quantity of an easily penetrable substance may be accurately and readily divided into any desired number of portions; and by which, further, the substance may be discharged a portion at a time, without afiecting the portions remaining.

With this objectin view, the invention consists, essentially, in a case open at top and bottom, and having a guide-way at the bottom, a sliding bottom-plate to enter the guideway to close, or wholly or partially open the bottom, and a top-plate provided with crossplates arranged at intervals and of a height and width corresponding to the height and width of the body of the case to divide powder or the like, placed in the case, into portions; furthermore, in a case, open at top and bottom and provided with sets of grooves extending from top and bottom, a movable partition designed to be placed in the grooves to divide the interior and adapt the device to the separation of the contents of the ease into any desired number of portions, in quantity less than the entire capacity of the case, a slide for closing, or wholly or partially opening the bottom of the case, and a plate provided with a numberof equidistant crossplates of a size corresponding to the size of the opening in the case and designed to close the top, the cross-plates to extend into and divide the interior and the substance contained therein.

Finally, the invention consists in the various novel details of construction, whereby the object of the invention is attained.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which- 1 Figure lis a View in perspective, showing the case with the guide-way at its bottom,

a side being broken away to show the situation of thesets of grooves on the interior.

substance to be divided may be evenly distributed in the case, before the top-plate is placed in position. Fig. 5- is a view in perspective, showing the top-plate, provided with the cross-plates, and having ends turned down at a right angle and ledges to cause the top-plate'to fit snugly into the case; and Fig.

6 is a view in side elevation with the case partly broken away, to expose the interior, showing the case, the sliding bottom-plate in place in the guide-way, the top-plate provided with cross-plates, the top-plate being held in position by lap-ends over the ends of the case, the one side of sets of vertical grooves, and the movable partition cutting oft a part of the interior of the case;the part out ofi beinglempty of powder and the part in use filled. r

- In the drawings, A represents the case, preferably rectangular in form, as shown, and made with open top and bottom. The case is provided, at the lower edges of its sides, with inward-proj ectin g flanges, forming a guide-way, a, and on the inner faces of its sides, with sets of vertical grooves, a

B, represents a narrow plate, which has an upturned end, b, for convenience in grasping, the plate being designed to enter the guideway, a, forming a sliding-bottom-plate to close or wholly or partially open the bottom of the case.

0, represents a movable partition designed to enter a set of the vertical grooves and cut off part of the interior of the case when less than the entire capacity of the case is to be utilized. a

D represents an implement or instrument, in the general form of a hoe or a scraper, to be used, if desired, to distribute the substance evenly in the case and pack it.

E represents another narrow plate, this plate being provided with cross plates, e, and

having ends, 6 bent downat a right-angle to its surfaces, and ledges, a between the cross plates, this plate being designed to cover the case, its cross-plates entering the case to separate it into compartments, its ends lapping over the ends of the case to hold it on tight, and the ledges fitting snugly within the upper part of its sides to close it.

In the use of the device, the slide B is placed in position to close the bottom of the case, and the whole or a part of the case is filled with a powder or other substance to be divided. If the entire case is to be employed, the movable partition, 0, is not used; but, if a number of portions, in entire quantity less than the total capacity of the case are to be got, the partition is placed in one of the sets of grooves, a and the substance to be divided is put in on one side of it. hen the sub stance has been properly placed in the case, the plate, E, is forced down at the top to bring it upon the case, thus pushing the projections, e, into the substance to be divided, and separating it into proper portions. To discharge the substance from the frame, the slide, 13, is drawn out in a manner to allow the escape of one portion at a time.

It will be seen that my device differs materially from devices in which the entire amount of substance to be divided is moved along and discharged in portions.

In my device, when the operative parts are in position, none of them are moved, it being only necessary to open the case, and the substance to be divided is not moved; so that liability of smearing, or of transferring part of one portion to another, thereby rendering the portions unequal in quantity, is obviated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device for separating substances into portions, consisting of a case open at top and bottom and provided with a guide-Way at the bottom, a sliding-plate to enter the guide-way to close or wholly or partially open the bottom, and a second plate provided with crossplates arranged at intervals, the second plate adapted to close the top and the cross-plates being of a height and width corresponding to the height and width of the interior of the case, substantially as described.

2. A device for separating substances into portions, consisting of a case open at top and bottom and having sets of interior grooves extending from top to bottom, a movable partition designed to be placed in a set of the grooves to divide off the interior and to adapt the device to the separation of any desired quantity of substance less than the capacity of the entire frame, a sliding plate for closing or for wholly or partially opening the bottom of the case, and another plate, being a topplate, provided with a number of cross-plates of a size corresponding to the opening in the case, substantially as described.

A device for separating substances into portions, consisting, essentially, of a case open at top and bottom, and provided with a guideway, a slidingplate to move back and forth in the guide-way, a second plate for closing the opposite opening in the case, having its ends bent at right angles and adapted to engage the outcr ends of the case, and, also, provided with cross plates corresponding in height and width to the height and width of the interior of the case, there being ledges arranged between the cross-plates fitting into the top of the case, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RALPH WALSH.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN E. MITCHELL, ANNIE VANCE. 

